The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbine engines and, more specifically, to a system for cooling a transition piece used in a combustor of a gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines may include a combustor having a transition piece that connects the combustor to the turbine. As an air-fuel mixture combusts inside of the combustor, the hot combustion gases increase the temperature of the transition piece. Typically, an impingement sleeve completely surrounds the transition piece, and directs compressed air through orifices to impinge an exterior surface of the transition piece. Although the impinging air jets cool the transition piece, the impingement sleeve creates a significant pressure drop that reduces the efficiency of the gas turbine engine. Furthermore, the impingement sleeve generally directs heated air into the combustor, which can increase undesirable exhaust emissions.